sterben

to die

German Irregular

The German verb "sterben" means "to die" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "sterben" across all 7 tenses.

How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Present Tense

Präsens Actions happening now or regularly
Person English Conjugation
ich I sterbe
du you (informal) stirbst
er/sie/es he/she/it stirbt
wir we sterben
ihr you all (informal) sterbt
sie/Sie they/you (formal) sterben
Er stirbt fast vor Lachen.
He is dying of laughter.

How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Simple Past Tense

Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)
Person English Conjugation
ich I starb
du you (informal) starbst
er/sie/es he/she/it starb
wir we starben
ihr you all (informal) starbt
sie/Sie they/you (formal) starben
Er starb im hohen Alter in Berlin.
He died at an old age in Berlin.

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How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Present Perfect Tense

Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)
Person English Conjugation
ich I bin gestorben
du you (informal) bist gestorben
er/sie/es he/she/it ist gestorben
wir we sind gestorben
ihr you all (informal) seid gestorben
sie/Sie they/you (formal) sind gestorben
Er ist im hohen Alter gestorben.
He died at an old age.

How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Past Perfect Tense

Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action
Person English Conjugation
ich I war gestorben
du you (informal) warst gestorben
er/sie/es he/she/it war gestorben
wir we waren gestorben
ihr you all (informal) wart gestorben
sie/Sie they/you (formal) waren gestorben
Er war an einer Krankheit gestorben.
He had died of an illness.

How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Future Tense

Futur I Actions that will happen
Person English Conjugation
ich I werde sterben
du you (informal) wirst sterben
er/sie/es he/she/it wird sterben
wir we werden sterben
ihr you all (informal) werdet sterben
sie/Sie they/you (formal) werden sterben
Er wird ohne Hilfe sterben.
He will die without help.

How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Subjunctive I Tense

Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests
Person English Conjugation
ich I sterbe
du you (informal) sterbest
er/sie/es he/she/it sterbe
wir we sterben
ihr you all (informal) sterbet
sie/Sie they/you (formal) sterben
Man sagt, er sterbe im Schlaf.
They say he is dying in his sleep.

How to Conjugate "sterben" in the Subjunctive II Tense

Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests
Person English Conjugation
ich I stürbe
du you (informal) stürbest
er/sie/es he/she/it stürbe
wir we stürben
ihr you all (informal) stürbet
sie/Sie they/you (formal) stürben
Er stürbe fast vor großer Langeweile.
He would almost die of great boredom.

Frequently Asked Questions About "sterben"

Is "sterben" regular or irregular in German?
"Sterben" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "sterben" mean in English?
The German verb "sterben" means "to die" in English.
How do you conjugate "sterben" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → sterbe, du → stirbst, er/sie/es → stirbt, wir → sterben, ihr → sterbt, sie/Sie → sterben.
How many tenses does "sterben" have in German?
"Sterben" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.

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